Oil-converting process.



J, H. ADAMS. OIL CONVERTING PROOESS. APPLICATION FILED FEB-25, 1908.

976.975 Z l atent ed Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-'8 1.

J. H. ADAMS.

OIL CONVERTING PROCESS.

APPLIUATION FILED PEB.25, 1908.

976,975. Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-4511331 2.

' HTTOHNE Y8 ventral) seam Parana? smea- 1 scenes firanalvrs, or BROOKLYN, new YORK. v v 1 steers.

' oIL-convEn'rme rnocnss.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Nov; '29, 1910;

Application filed February 25, 1968. Serial 110 417313.

To all whornit may comer iii v citizen "of th nited' States, residin at Brooklyn, in 1 egcounty of Kings and tate .of New Yorkhaveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Qil fconverting Processes, of which the f ollovying 'isfla full,

:clear; and exactwdescri tiom-"such as will enable others skilled int c artgtmwhlch it ap- Fermi-113m m k n d use the same; 't a llhis invention in pontradistinction from fractional distillation .processes relates, broadly to' the nrtqaf "essentially cogverting p tsn jaidisaf similar character j gbiit n it aspect it-consists' {in a therma more or less refined hydro-car o'n oilsgl suchf as thosezof sene series, inte a i'iiore volatiles} L seijnbling the naphtha orgga en which is characterized byfa high with reference, to the-Baum scale nature 'forcarrying outthe above stated con-- -mere distillation), by means of an internal and properly applied source of heat, which is preferab y derived .Afro'm a submerged heater electrically maintained at an ncandescent temperature.

As condiijei-hg to ,a better understanding of vthe ultimate basis of this invention, it may herebe 'recalled that crude fip'etroleum,i by a process ofr =fractional dist ation, "may be wseparated intoa multitude of. component oils 'dlfi'eri ng from one ma s ininsensible gradations. Commercially, the distillation is not carried-to extremefll imits of refine-f ment, the aimbei to produce the maxi.. mum yield of the t ree principal; products for which there is the greatest demand, these being kerosene of 43 to 47 gravity'consti- "tuting about GO of the crude petroleum;

naphtha of about 62 -gravity constituting about 4% of the crude'petroleum; and auto- I mobile naphtha, or, -as 1t is more commonly i "called, ghsoleri, of about 68 avity'forming .--abeut v10% "loi'ethe crurii petroleum, Owing to' the somewhat unsettled state of the nomenclature of mineral .oils, these products [sometimesgo under ,modified names, particularly with respect to the; asolenes' which are today extensively so d under gravitiesconsiderably than tions Irangin vgravities, alt ougli t .greater proportion of that product-will pos sees .gravities approximating the gravity of i I has been customary some ye'rs past. The Be it known'that'l, Josn'rn H. ADAMS, a f

fact remains, however, that hese products,

.however they be named, are not usually sining their components so roportioned that their average'gravity con orms to the grav- 1t -etc., o the, kerosene, gasolene, or the h e. .Thus, an analysis by fractional distillation will show-each of these commercial products toconsist of a multitude of, fracthrough I ose whichform the the product. 4

sene type into oils of higher gravity on the Baum scale, such as those of the asolen 'type; is at present 'known.- It

oes not a wide scale of ,No commercially satisfactory method of converting oils such asfthose of. the kerosufiice'to subject these commercial oils to the process of fractional distillation, ,for that merely serves to more or less perfectly separatethe oils (which may be re ded as mixtures) into their .comp'onent 'fparts.

However, by the herein disclioseil: process discovered by me itis now quite feasible to converta low gravity oil asof' the kerosene 'type-into-a higher gravity oil or mixture such T-as. napht a or so-called' gasolenef.

-This I do by subjecting the oil or mixture .ofoils tojthe' powerful-mfluence of properl" up lied decomposing temperatures whic full disclosure may be greatly facilitated by describing certain characteristic features of wi l range from a visible orcherry red to a a an, apparatus adapted to carry out the same,

'in conjunction with =statementsdetailing the manner 'in which the oil 'will course through [and undergo essential change in quality in the various parts of. the apparatus. In the drawings like characters of reference denote corresponding parts through the several views of which:

F igure l'is an assembly in. elevation of the apparatus as organized. for commercially loo carryingout my process. Fig. :3 as a sectionalelevation showing one of the many "possible'forms of converter which may be "employed. for internally subjecting oilto an incandescent temperature as contemplated by my process. Fig. 3is a horizontal sec-. tion' taken through line 3'-3- of Fig. 2. 1 p Turning now to Fig. 1,. A represents a i suitable supply tank which serves as the augment its flow into the converter under the influence of 'the more or less .complete' vacuum in such converter. A suitable frame 2 may be utilized as 'a support for the tank.

The'fluid'oil may be admitted into-the con- 2o 'taining vessel ortank 1 by means of one or 'imore suitable supply pipes indicated by 3, and this pipe'may be connected by a tee with a vent;'pipe 5 risin V v the supply tank 1, and utllized for relieving such tank of any occasional undue pressure or partial vacuum, this being governedby the hand valve' 6. Such tank 1 may also be provided .with suitablegages 7 and 8, if desired; In like manner, gages 7 and 8" 30. may be'provided on the adjacent converter B. A pipe 9 connects the supply tank and converter in any desired manner, such as that shown.

The figures of; the drawings show one of the many diverse forms which the converter maya'ssume within the contemplation. of this invention, and such converter here coihprises a retortand 'heatingse'ction 12 surmounted- I by a cylindrical crown or dome 13. The supply pipe 9 in this form leads .into the upper part of the retort section 12 which section forms the lower partof the converter. This section may be connected. with the overlying dome by means of a Qga e 7, sothat the condition and disposition o the contents of the converter may always be the more readily apparent and be susceptible of an intelligent variation by operating the hand valve-l7 for regulating the flow of original '50 oilthrough the sup ly pipe 9. The retort section'12 may also e provided in its lower end with a suitable dri or outlet pipe.18 which may be controlle by the hand-valve 19 shown in Fig. 1. By this'means, the re 55,-" tort may be emptiedof its contents and cleaned of any sediment which may have accumulated therein.

- The dome'or crown cylinder 13 is secured to the retort 12 by means of a suitably interooposed flange member 20 which is suitablyoltedto each of these respective sections.

lnasmuch'as the vaporsrising into and fillng the crown or dome I3-may at times be .s'o rapidlyfevolved as to exert an undue 85 pressure, I have arranged a cap 21 in close fitting relation with the upper end. of the cylindrical crown or dome, and have utilized,

22 of such proportions and strength that they will break and release the cap at a pressure of from five to ten pounds to the inch. Of

course, the retort and fittings are made as tight as possible, and therefore I have used between the several flanges and caps gaskets of asbestos or other suitable ma erial, so that the ossibility of leakage may be obviated so 5r as may be'neces sary from a practical standpoint.

A feature of primary importance is the means .for' internally applyin heat to the oil contained in the retort under a more or less complete vacuum for the purpose of bringin about "a conversion of such oil. Prefera l, this feature is electrically operated, and-comprises one or. more resistance rods or electrodes which are adapted to be maintained at a heat varying from a red to a white while submerged..;'In the shownform, thiselectric heater is made up-in the form of a grid from a series of-resistance rods arranged in pinion-like fashion, and so connected that the current may flow through the same to the best advantage. While the precise manner of connecting these resistance rods may be varied to conform to the different currents of electricity which may be commercially available, the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will be found very suitable for convertingmany forms of oil. This electric heater is es ecially adapted for working'under an,,e ectric current having a relatively low volta e and a corr'espondingly high amperage.- he current is brought in by means of a metallic conductor rod 23 which asses'through the cap 21 at the summit of the dome, and, in order to revent grounding of the current, an insw ated bushing of suitable material, such as soap stone, w1ll be interposed in a tight fitting relation between such cap and the leading-in conductor 23. So also, a leadingout conductor '25 may similarly pass throu h the bottom of the retort section 12. T e

current will be taken fromthe mains 26 and 27 as will be obvious.

The conductors 23 and 25 terminate within the retort in electricalcdnnection with the corres onding terminals of a suitably construct electric .heater H which comprises one or more electrodes 30. In my,

,copending a plication 417,714, filed of even I plicatiomit will be unnecessary to elaborate thereon in this process disclosure. Sufiice it" to say, however, that this electric-heater .is" of such character that oertain'of its parts may be maintained at a high temperature ranging from'a cherry red to a full white heat, even while submerged in the oil. "This very ethcient electric heater provides a means of. internallyheatin the oil in such a manner as'to. y convert the same, and is thus adapted to assist in performing a stepv of primary importance to my process.

It may here be pointed out that, in o crating upon certain classes of oils, that 1s, themore volatile oils, it is hi hly desirable to localize the application oi the internal heat so as to prevent the spread, so to speak,

;of the heat in a lower degree of: intensity than is necessary to efliciently crack, the

"oil, b ut of a sufhcientintensit'y to cause an 'evaporatlon of undue amounts of the oil at aldistance fromthe electric heater without bringing abouta 'converslonl .To this end,

in the embodimentjof the apparatus shown by-Fig. 21 have provided a heat insulating shell 40 which provides a relatively restricted center channel for-the upflow of the oil toward the. electric :heater. This heat; insulating shell {10 rises above the. level of the oil, and preferably'has itsuppe'r end 41 interfitting attachni'entwith the. overlying cylindrical crown or dome' 13.- Its lower end is, however, mounted upon a suitable perforate support 42 rising from the bottom of the retort. From this, it will be gathered that whenever 'the fluid to be converted is admitted into the retort and, brouhtvto the proper level indicated by the flui gages,it

will assume the. same level on the outside 'ofi theinsulating shell 40', as it will on the inside thereof. ,Inthis manner the electric heater will .be' maintained in the redetermined submerged relation,'and.o' evolved as vapor willbe constantly and uniformly replaced by fresh quantities of ori inal untreated or non-converted oil. in other words, the oil within the centerchann'el of most needed,: 2'. e. .in theiimmediate vicinit the heat insulating'shell 40y'will' be maintained at such a; level as to cover the top of the incandescent electrodes of the electric heater, thus reventing explosion or other accident resu ting from the ignition of 'oil-' vapors which might at times be mixed with air or other reactive agents. The insulating shell 40 being preferably constructedof 'a suitable heat insulatin material, admirably serves to localize-the ieat just where has of the electric heater. On thelother han .the .oil externally surrounding the heat insulating shell 40 within the. retort 12 does -notbecome heated to such a degree as to cause undue evaporation.

From the'foregoing it. will be seen that during the flow of, the electric current, the electric heater will be maintained ina submerged relation at an incandescent temperature. The efl'ectrof this incandescent-heat is tocause the oil which is in the immediate vicinityof the incandescent electrode to be broken'up or converted into oils having a higher-gravity on the Baum scale. he

'action is extremely violent, causing the cracked oil to become immediately vaporized andthe uprise of this vapor brings about a furious local agitation in the. oil. it ma also be mentioned that owin to the 'exces sive quantity of heat and owing to the fact i that much ofthehe at will radiate at a diminished temperature into surrounding portions of the oil more distant fromthe incandescent electrode, considerable oilv may be merely volatilized without undergoing conversion, just asburning oils and naphthas "are-boiled and vaporized ,without essential conversion in the ordinary processes of fractiolial distillation. By my apparatus, I am, however, able to reduce the undesirable volatilizatiorr without conversion to a minimum,

and as a consequence theoilsare in a large v proportion cracked or converted in" char acter; oil will be constantly flowing toward and into'contact with the incandescent electrode to take the place of. that already vaporized. This newly admittedoiliwill in turn be cracked and changed in theapparatus into lighter or more volatile products,

Thus, the". complex mixture of the. oils,

knownycommercially as kerosene, may be changedfbymeans of my rocess nto a mix:

time ofjlighterfoilswhic bears a general resemblancefw and .hasthe properties of more of the products of the hydrocarbon series into others of-an essentially different character. I The carbon which is removed in roe this manner will be in part deposited uponthe hot electrodes and n-part precipitated in the adjacent oil, being to some extent held in suspension and, to some extent gravitating through the oil'toward the bottom of the retort." v v Inasm'uch';as theprecisedegree of tempgratu're at which the electric heater. should 'maintainedin practice,- will largely depend upon and vary with particular conditions, such as the composition of the raw. Oll' "to beconverted, it will suflice to state that the temperaturelw'ill generally vary from .a

cherry red to a white heat accordingto the fluid treated. When operating in this manner, it has been observed that apparently only a certain part of the 'fluid ultimately evaporated comes in direct contact with the incandescent electrodes for the reason that the conduction'of the .heat is sufiicient to evaporate a certain somewhat remoteflportion of the oil at a lower temperature than isrequisite for the cracking of the oil; -Accordingly, the vapors passing into the dome will be composed not only'olithe oil which has suffered a breaking up of itsmoleculcs by the highconverting heat, butalso will contain a,ce'rt ain proportion-of the un-- changed original OlllIl the form of vapor.

These mixed vapors are evolved very rapidly owing tothe incandescent temperature of the electrodes, and consequently care should be exercised to keepthe oil line at the proper mark in the gage and not permit it to'f all below or approach the danger line in which the incandescent electrodes would protrude above the levelof the oil.

The mixed vapors pass from the dome or a crown cylinder 13 into the discharge pipe 43, and thence'through the pipe'44 into a suitable-copper coil and water .jacket'condenser 45 mounted on a suitable support 46 and forming'a partof the condensing appa-- ratustC of Fig. 1. Since some of the vapor-- 1 ized original unconverted-oil may tend to con-= dense before reaching the condensing appara tus C,I prefer to connect the discharge pipe 43 with the bottom of the retort12 by meansof a drip pipe 47. This will enable the already-condensed unconverted oil to be-readily passed into the retort again without first passing through the rest of the apparatus.

' I alsoprefer to provide the .dome 13 with a safety or pop valve 48 mounted on the pipe 49 and may also add one or more pressure gages 49'. v

After passing through the copper coil condenser and cooling tank apparatus .0, the fluid 011 passes into a reservoir or receiving tank D' by means of p1pe50shown in ig. l.- r The upper portion of this reservoir is con-- nected with a suitable suction or vacuum apparatus Fby means of pipe 51. \Such vacuum apparatus may comprise a vacuum air pump 52 connected by a pipe 53 with a.

vacuum tank 54 provided with a. gage 55 for the purpose of showing the 'degree of the vacuum. This vacuum pump'mayv be ,con-] veniently operated in any desired manner, as by means of the electric motor 56 controlled by th'erheostat 57 and switch 58 and tures of my invention is very geared to the vacuum-air pump by'means of the counter shaft and speed reducing apparatus 59.f The utility of this vacuum apparatus in conjunction with the other fear great, for thereby, I am enabled to reduce liability 0t explosion to a minimum, and, furthermore, materially promote uniformity andcert'ainty in the operation of the entire apparatus.

Thus, because of the low pressure (from five to ten' ounds at the most) it is not necessary to epend upon gravity for the flow of oil from the main supply tank 1 to the converter, nor is it necessary to provide a force pump apparatus operatm from the main supply tank. Because of t c more or less complete'vacuum' in the converter, the

oil will flow :from the supply tank, bein sucked into the converter-so to speak, .an

the rate of flow is under easy control'by means of the hand valve 17. -Moreover,

since the vapors in the dome or crown cylinder13 of the converter are maintained at averylow vapor .pressure, there is very littlechance of a serious explosion even though some air or other reactmgfsusbtance should become mixed with the composite oily vapors. As the entire apparatus t under a more or less complete vacuum, it will be perceived that the condensed oil will not gravitate or flow out of the last reservoir or receiving tank 60 of'the reservoir ap aratus D. Accordingly, I have rovided 0.

us works means for withdrawmg such oil y the up paratus E shown on Fig. 1; such apparatus comprising a suction pump 61 driven by a suitable motor 62 and gearing 63, and connected with the tank 60 by means of a suitablepipe64.

Thecomposite fluid oil withdrawn by apparatus F may either be directl returned to the converter in order to still urther decompose the same into lighter products, or

itma be subjected to fractional distillation or'otrer operations to more orless completely segregateitscom waits, and such components as ma not e of the desired qualit-y ma then returned to the conv'erter for urther treatment.

The above s eciticall described ap aratus may of course emodi ed greatly an yet be well adapted to carry' out one or more of, the

essential'correlated steps of I mggrpoess. It is apparent that I have succee e in formurocess well suited for achieving the a latmg a p several 0 jects and ends in view, and that as a result-I have made it possible to readily convert comparatively inexpensive commercially available oils into products of g ggreaterwalue. Thus, kerosene of sa' 45- aum gravity ma be eadily change into socalled gasolene o atldiast 67 Baum avity by'sucessive'treatments in accor anoe wlth my process.

In view of the fore 'oing disclosure, it will ,features of the hereindisclosed invention,

and all statements of the soup: thereof which, :as a matter of language, mi .1; be said to fall 'therebetween. 1

of. raising the Baume, gravity of more-or.

v Having described my invention what I 'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: y 1 A process of the-nature disclosed, con- 5 sisting 1n internally'applying to hydro-carbon oils an incandescent temperature of sufiicient intensity to locall crack and convert the, same into oils'd-i erin essentially in :character from untreated oi vs.

S2. A process for converting oils. as contradistinguished from a processfofj fractional distillation, consisting in internally apply,- ing to an oil a decomposing incandescent heat, collecting and condensin the evolved ifrapors, and 'retreatingthe con ensate as beore.- v. 1 r 3. A processof raising the gravity on the v Baumwscaleof oils as contradistinguishe'd from the process of fractional distillation, O,.,cO nsisting in "maintaining a heat endurin body at an incandescent temperature whi e ff'submerged in a mass of oil, and collecting and condensing the evolved vapors of'co'nvertedoil.'l;-. v 4.=A process ofv converting oilsas contradistingmshed from the process of fractional distillation, consisting n electrically maintaining an electrode at an incandescent tem- 'perature while submergedfin a massof oil whereby said incandescent temperature will produce a local decomposition or conversion of saidpil. v

5. A process of the-nature disclosed consist'ing in maintaining 'a'partial vacuum over 7 a mass of-o 1l within a su table containing vessel, and locally applying to such oil an incandescent temperature adapted to precipitate carbon-from said oil and convert the same-into an oily product characterized by a highergravity on the Baum scale. 6. A process of convertin oils as distinguished: from' fractional distillation processes which consists in maintaining abody.

of hydrocarbon oil of not less than thirty'.'

degrees Baum gravity'in a su-itablefcontaining vessel under a artial vacuum, and main; taming a heat en uringibody atan incandescent temperature in submerged relation with-respect to said oil; v 7. The herein disclosed continuousmethod less' refined, mineral 'oils which consists in maintaining the original oil tobe treated v-at an approximately average surface level Within a closed containing-vessel, providing an electrode of heat-enduring? material in submerged relation to said original goil near. the surface thereof, causing a low-voltage, high-amperage electric current to flowthrough said electrode to maintain the same 'at'an incandescent temperature while submergedin said oil, whereby said oil may be ;internall v subjected to a local '(lecomposingn i 7 heatto'decarbonize and ra idly cunvert the same, maintaining a partia vacuum over the -'quantities of -,original oil to compensate for ,ing'as befdre.

'.merged, and finally rectifying the evo'lv'ed forcing t rough said electrode-a current Sulli- 'ciently heavy to maintain the same at an in-.

-ing-vesse1 additional quantities of original F il to; compensate for the withdrawals of feeling a decomposition of 0118 which conpors of the converted decarbonized oil, cool 1ng and condensing such vapors,*and admitting to said containing-vessel additional '10 the'withdrav'valsof converted oil.

.8. The herein disclosed rocess-of converting hydro-carbon oils of a ess volatile nature into thoseofa more volatile nature, which eonsistsin immersing in the oil an electric conductor adapted to withstand a protracted high temperature andproviding a relatively large heating surface,said conductor'being. located in close proximity to the surface of said oil, causing a heavy" current of low so voltage to flow through said conductor while immersed, whereby it will be maintained at a temperature adaptedt-o effect a rapid de- I composition and vaporization of said oil, collecting the converted products and treat- 9. The herein disclosed process of effecting a decomposition of oils, which consists in v completely submerging in ull near: the surface thereof an electric high-resistance conductor-having a large heat-enduring surface, causing a heavy electric current toflow" through said c'onductor tomaintain the same in a state of incandescence whilesubmerged, Y

maintaining a partial vacuum over said oil, supplyin original oil as fast as evolved in vconverteg form by said incandescent con- .ductor, wherebythe latter may be kept subconverted vapors;

10-. The herein disclosedcontinuousmethod off-raising the 'Baum'gr'avityof more or less refined mineral oils which consists in maintaining the original oil to treated at an approximately uniform averagesurface level within a closed containingsve'ss el, pro 'viding a high-resistance electrode of heatenduring material in, submergedrelation to said ori 'n'al oil near the surface thereof,.

candescent temperature while submerged said oil, whereby said oilmay be internally "subjected 'to'a localdecomposing heat to .decarboni'ze and rapidly convert the same;

maintainm a partial vacuum over'the surfacebf sai oil and'withdrawing the evolved "vapors of the converted decarbonized oil from said, vessel,- cooling and condensing such'wapors; and admlttmg to sa d c0nta1n- 12o converted oil. l v

11'. The herein disclosed prowess of efsists in completelysubmerging in oil near the surface thereof anelectric high-resistan'ce conductor having. a large heat-enduring surface, causing a sufliciently heavy electric current toflow through said conductor 130,

to maintain the same in a state of incandescence while submerged, su plying additional oil to take the place 0% that evolved in converted form by said incandescent conductor, and condensing and retreating one or more of the converted products.

I posing mineral oils of 12.- The herein disclosed process of decomthe kerosene type into those having the characteristics of gasolene which consists in internally subjecting the kerosene to a localized incandescent temout change,

more or less re treated at an approxim perature near its surface whereby it will be in part" locally converted into gasolene vapor and will be in part vaporized. withmaintaining a partial vacuum over theoil, and withdrawing and rectifying the evolved gasolene-cont'aining vapors.

.13. The hereln disclosed .cqntinuous method ofraiing-the Baum gravity of fined mineral oils which. consists in maintaining the original oil-to be ately uniform average surfacelev'el within aclosed containingvessel, providing, an electrode of heat-endur ing materialinsubmerged relation to said I original-oil near the ning a; low volt'age, high-amperage electric surface thereof, cans-p current; mn jv through sa d electrode to -r'ap1dly vaporize the same,

containing-vessel. additional 0 oilto compensate for the withdrawal of on such maintain the same at an incandescent temperature while submerged in said oil, whereby said oil may be internall subjected to a local decomposing heat to ecarbonize and withdrawin the evolved vapors of the converted decai' bonized oil from said vessel,.cooling and con densing su'ch vapors, and admitting to said uantities of whereby it may be-decomposed into a more the kerosene type volatile product with a concomitant precipitation of carbonj'ancl repeating the process product lllltll it closely resembles gasolene.

In'testimony whereof I afiix my in the presence of .two witnesses.

. J'EIN CKE.

signature,

JOSEPH ADAMS; 

